Buhari may extend Lagos, Abuja, Ogun lockdown in national broadcast today

President, Muhammadu Buhari is likely to address the nation today as the 14-day lockdown in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun state expires on Monday.

A top government source who will not like to be named as he has not been authorised to speak on the matter, confirmed this.

The chairman of the Presidential Task Force on the control of the COVID -19 pandemic and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, told the press at the daily briefing Friday, that the team met with President Buhari and briefed him on their assessment of the lockdown imposed on the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states.

Responding to the question on if the lockdown will be extended or not, Mustapha said: “It is exclusively the responsibility and the decision of the President. Ours is to provide him with first hand information that will inform that decision. So I cannot speculate on it now.

“But looking at what is happening in other climes you may be able to deduce what might likely happen.

I am not in the position to speculate.

I believe strongly the information that is required will be made available to Mr. President who will look at the holistic picture because it is not only the information that comes from the Presidential Taskforce that will inform his decision. There are other sources of information that come to his desk as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that will inform a considered decision on this matter.”